Sorting machine



y 1939- I. GHERTZMANN 2,156,978

SORTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 30, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3.

FIG.4.

see 74 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented May 2, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE soa'rmo MACHINE York Application December 30, 1936, Serial No.118,204 In France January 30, 1936 4 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for sorting accounting andstatistical record cards and. more specifically for sorting out cardsbearing a given series of perforations from a group.

The provision of means for sorting into a single pocket all recordshaving predetermined classification or serial numbers has beenpreviously accomplished by devices known as multi-column selectors, oneform of which is illustrated in United States Patent No. 1,933,357. Thepresent invention is an improvement of such device.

Previous devices adapted to sorting machines for sorting cards which hada given series of perforations into a single pocket have been based onthe fact that cards having no perforations are passed into a singlereject pocket because the sorting magnet has not been affected andtherefore it is only necessary to nullify the effect of the sortingmagnet, at the time the sensing brushes are passed by those perforationscorresponding to the selected series to be sorted, to have thatparticular card passed to the reject along with all others bearing alike series of perforations. It will be seen then that according to thisbasis of operations all cards having no perforations in the particularfield sensed will be passed to the reject box along with those which itis desired to select since the absence of any perforations alsocompletely nullifies the action of the sorting magnet, thus unperforatedcards will become mixed with those selected.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a multiple columnselecting device which will select cards of a chosen series of.perforations indicating a number of multiple digits which may be codedfor any desired information and to prevent unperforated cards from beingmixed therewith.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from thespecification and the accompanying drawings which show one embodiment ofthe invention and wherein similar reference numerals indicate similarparts and wherein,

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the automatic selection device.

Fig. 2 is a section through lines 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a wiring diagram of the circuits employed.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of a tabulating card.

The present invention has been shown as applied to a sorting machine ofa type well known in the art. The construction and operation of thepocket selecting, card conveying, and guiding mechanism, and the generalarrangement of the circuits are fully shown in the United States patentto E. A. Ford, No. 1,741,985, issued December 31, 1929 and the mechanismfor feeding cards from the magazine and the brush holder are fully shownand described in the United States patent to H. Kleckler, dated December31, 1929. The brush holder shown in the last mentioned patent as appliedto the use of a plurality of brushes for multi-column analyzation isfully shown and described in Fig. 6 of United States Patent 1,933,357 toWeinlich et al., dated October 31, 1933. The motor and the starting andstopping buttons and associated circuits are likewise shown in UnitedStates Patent No. 1,933,357 and are therefore not shown in the presentinstance since they play no part in applicant's invention.

The selector is driven from a driving shaft 5211. which runs the entirelength of the sorting machine to drive the usual conveyor rolls, etc.This shaft corresponds to the drive shaft l9 shown in Figs. 1 and 7 ofPatent No. 1,933,357.

Referring now, to Figs. 1 and 2 of the present invention, the automaticselector device shown in these figures includes a worm gear 56 whichmeshes with a worm 52 fixed to the drive shaft 52a. The worm gear 56 isfixed to the shaft 50 which is thereby, driven from the drive shaft 52a.The shaft 500. is journaled in a bearing 51 which is fixed to the frameof a sorting machine by suitable means such as a bracket 58. A brushcarrier support made of suitable insulating material is fixed to thebracket and bearing in a stationary position. The support 5| is providedwith a plurality of brush carriers 62 made of conducting material andmounted on the periphery of the insulated support 5|. The brush carriersextend through the support and are terminated by threaded portions toreceive nuts 63 for connecting electric conducting wires thereto. Theopposite ends of the carriers are provided with holes through whichbrushes 30 extend. Set screws 64 extend axially into the support to holdthe brushes. There are ten of these brushes 30 corresponding to the tenindex positions 0 to 9 to be found on a single column of a tabulatingcard of the well known Hollerith type, as partially shown in Fig. 4.Brushes 29 and 49 are mounted on similar carriers for purposes to beexplained later. These brushes just enumerated wipe on a selector devicegenerally indicated at 25. Three brushes Ma, Mb, and Mc are mountedadjacent to each other in a plane parallel to the axis of a distributor40 and wipe on said distributor. The selector device 25 and distributor46 are fixed to the shaft 50 and rotate therewith. The brushes 4 la and410 are mounted in arms of conductive material extending from brushcarriers 65 and 66, respectively. The brush 4": is mounted in brushcarrier 61. Y t

The selector device 25 includes two conductor rings 26 and 21 mounted onan insulated support fixed to the shaft 50 and separated from each otherby an insulating strip 28 which is part of said insulated support. Theconductor ring 21 is provided with a projection 21a and a correspondingoffset of the insulating strip 26 extends into the conductor ring 26 toinsulate the projection 21a therefrom. The ten brushes 30 bear on I theleft hand side of the conductor strip 26 as viewed in Fig. 1. They areall mounted in a single plane normal to the axes of rotation and lie inthe plane of rotation of the projection 27a. so that when it rotates itpasses consecutively under each brush. The brush 49 bears on the mainbody of the conducting ring 21 and the brush 29 bears on the right handside of the conducting ring 26 as viewed in Fig. 1 and to one side ofthe path of rotation of the projection 21a.

The distributor 40 is composed of a cylinder of insulating materialhaving a single conducting insert 42 which extends transversely of saidcylinder. The cylinder is provided with two circular side plates 40awhich are undercut so that the insulated cylinder projects slightly intoeach face plate. The insert 42 extends under the undercut edges of theplates 40a and is biased radially of the cylinder by a spring 42a set ina well in the cylinder (Fig. 2). As the insert 42 is rotated it makesintermittent contact with the three brushes 4| a, 4lb, and Me in unison.

Turning now to Fig. 3, the wiring diagram here shown is confined for thesake of simplicity to the usual sorting circuit, the motor and motorrelay circuit being identical with that provided in the previouslymentioned U. S. Patent No. 1,933,357 and believed to be superfluous forthe proper understanding of the present invention. In all cases it isassumed that the machine is being operated by a motor from supply lines20 and 2|.

The sorting circuit for sorting to a single column in the well known wayincludes a commutator I connected to a common brush 2 and a brush 4 anda brush 3. The brush 3 is connected through wire 1 to a brush 8 wipingon a contact roll 9 which in turn is electrically connected to the brushl6 and through wire H and resistance unit l2 to the switch. The circuitfrom the switch 14 then follows through the sorting relay magnet coil I3, resistance l6, sorting magnet I! to the supply 2|. The relay contactsl8 are connected to the central brush 4. With the machine operating andthe switch l4 thrown in its full line position, as shown, a sortingoperation from a single column through brush I0 is effected in the wellknown manner fully described in the patents previously mentioned herein.J v If it is desired to sort cards having a number composed of more thanone digit, the switch M 1,933,357 previously mentioned, may be used.Such holder will carry a plurality of brushes 22 connected by lead wires23 to sockets 24. The commutator brushes 3!! are each connected tosockets 32 and plug wires 68 are used as jumpers for connecting thesockets 32 and 24. Let it be assumed now that it is desired to sort outall cards containing the number 983 which may be punched in columns 4,5, and 6 of the tabulating card as shown at I4, Fig. 4, and to rejectall cards having other numbers punched therein or which may beunperforated in those columns. The first three brushes of the brushholder having been alined with columns 4, 5, and 6 of the card are nowconnected by means of plugging as follows: right hand brush 22, as shownin Fig. 3, is connected to the socket connected to the brush 36corresponding to the 9 index position. The second and third brushes 22are connected to the corresponding sockets for the eighth and thirdindex point positions respectively, as shown in dotted lines.

The cards are fed in the usual manner'between the contact roll 9 and theselector brushes 22 and as the index points of the card pass the brushesthe projection 2M will pass under the brush 30 corresponding to thatindex point position, therefore,.as the first column of the card passesbeneath the right hand brush 22 when the perforation 9 of the number 983appears beneath said brush, the corresponding brush 36 leading to the 9socket will be on the projection 21a of the conductor ring 21. When thisoccurs, the unperforated card relay 46 is energized through thefollowing circuit: from the supply wire 26, through brush 2, brush 3,wire I, brush 8, contact roller 9, first brush 22 now over theperforation, plugging socket 24, wire 68, socket 32, wire 69, brush 30,projection 21a, brush 49, wire 16, unperforated card relay magnet 46,resistance 44, wire 36, to the other supply line 2|. The energization ofrelay 46 is maintained by the following holding circuit: supply line 20,brush 2,"conductor ring 5, brush 4, wires I9, 38, contact 41 now closed,relay magnet 46, resistance 44, wire 36, to supply line 2|.

When the perforations 8" and "3 in turn pass beneath the correspondingselector brushes, the projection 21a will be under the correspondingbrushes 3!! and the circuit through the relay 46 will remainundisturbed.

The distributor 40 rotates in synchronism with the passage of the cardso that the conducting insert 42 passes beneath the brushes 4la, 4lb,and Me as the 12 index point position on the card passes the sortingbrushes. Brushes Ma and Me are electrically connected, therefore, bymeans of the insert 42 at this time connecting the sorting relay magnetH in circuit, but inasmuch as contact 41a is open and 4'! is closed bythe energization of relay magnet 46, no current will flow to energizethe sorting magnet I'I. Consequently, the card in question will not besent to the compartment corresponding to .the "12" position, but will besent to the discard or reject compartment.

Let it now be assumed that the card passing beneath the selector brushes22 bears a different figure from the one desired, say, the figure 987,for example. When the perforations 9 and "8 pass beneath the first andsecond selector brushes 22 the circuit will function as previouslydescribed so that the relay 34 is energized and remains energized, butwhen the perforation 7 of the third column which is connected to thebrush 30 corresponding to the 3 index position comes beneath the brush22, the brush 30 corresponding to 7" index point position will be on theprojection 21a, but this brush is not plugged across to the selectorbrushes 22 so that no ,circuit will be established. On the other handthe brush 38 corresponding to the 3" index point position which isconnected to the third brush 22 Will be riding at this time on theconductor 25. The relay 34 then becomes energized in the followingmanner: supply line 20, brushes 2 and 3, wire 1, brush 8, contact roller9, third brush from the right 22, now on '7 index perforation,connecting socket 24 to the socket 32 corresponding to the 3" indexpoint position, wire 3|, brush 38, connector ring 26, brush 29, wire 33,relay 34, resistance 35, wire 36, to supply line 2|. Relay 34 nowremains energized by the closing of the relay contact 31 establishing aholding circuit from supply line 20, brush 2, conductor ring 5, brush 4,wire I9, wire 38, wire H, relay contact 31, relay magnet 34, resistance35, wire 36 to supply line 2|. When the conducting insert 412 now comesunder the brushes 41a and MD, the sorting relay l3 becomes energizedthrough the establishment of the following circuit: supply line 28,brush 2, conductor ring 5, brush 4, wires I9, 38, and H, contact 31 nowclosed, wire '72, brush Mb, brush Ma, switch l4 now in dotted lineposition, sorting relay 13, wire I5, resistance I6, sorting magnet IT,to the supply line 2|. The energization of sorting relay l3 closescontact l8 and energizes the sorting magnet I1 directly through thecommutator i from the supply line 28 and will send the card bearing theperforated number 987 into compartment I2 of the sorting machine, since,as previously stated, the circuit established through the medium of theconducting insert 42 occurs at the 12 index point position of the card.

A similar operation will occur if any one of the digits varies from thedigits 9, 8, 3, as originally set up by the plugging wires, due to thefact that the brushes 30 corresponding to these digits as set up will bein contact with the conductor ring 26 at all times except when theprojection 21a passes under those brushes which only occurs at thosecorresponding index point positions and can only be effective throughthe circuit established by projection 21a when those index points areperforated.

Let it now be assumed that the card passing beneath the selector brushes22 is without any perforation. In this case, neither of the two relays34 or 46 will be energized and the contact 41a will remain closed whichis its normal position as shown in Fig. 3. Consequently, when theconducting insert 42 passes beneath the brushes Ala and M0 at the "12index point position of the card, sorting relay l3 becomes energizedthrough the following circuit: supply line 20, brush 2, conductor ring5, brush 4, wires l9 and 38, contact 41a now closed, wire 13, brush 41c,conductor insert 42, brush 4Ia, switch l4, sorting relay magnet l3, wireI5, resistance l6, sorting magnet I! to the supply line 2|. The sortingmagnet is, therefore, energized by the closing of the relay contact I8as previously described and the unperforated card is delivered to the 12pocket in the same manner as those cards having perforations, differingfrom the number 983 originally set up. It will be understood that theindex number 983 as given is merely an example and that any number maybe given comprising a greater or a lesser number of digits, it beingnecessary to make only the suitable connections between the sockets 24and 32 and to have a brush holder carrying a sufllcient number ofselector brushes 22 to take care of a number having the maximum numberof digits required.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamentalnovel featurs of the invention as applied to a single modification, itwill be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changesin the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operationmay be made by those skilled in the art without departing from thespirit of the invention. It is the intention therefore to be limitedonly as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a sorting machine for sorting record cards including a sortingmagnet, the combination with a main drive shaft of the sorting machine,of a drum driven by said shaft, a plurality of conductor rings on saiddrum and insulated from each other, one of said conductor rings having arecess therein and another of said conductor rings having a projectionextending within the recess of said first named conductor ring butinsulated therefrom, a series of wiper brushes bearing on saidfirst-named conductor ring in a circumferential row and situated in theorbit of rotation of the recess and projection whereby theyprogressively wipe the projection of said first named conductor ring inserial order as the drum rotates, a plurality of brushes including onebrush wiping on each conductor ring during the time said series of wiperbrushes are being progressively wiped by the projection of said secondnamed conductor ring, a second drum driven by the main shaft having asingle conductor segment mounted thereon and insulated therefrom, aplurality of brushes bearing on said second drum in a row parallel tothe axis of rotation of said drum whereby said brushes are wipedsimultaneously by said conductor segment as the drum rotates to cause amomentary contact to be made between all brushes for each revolution ofsaid second drum, circuits connected to said first and second nameddrums and to said sorting magnet, and means in said circuits andcontrolled by said first named drum for controlling the operation of thesorting magnet by said second named drum.

2. In a sorting machine for sorting records having indicia thereon,analyzing means including a plurality of brushes, a multiple columnselector device comprising a plurality of commutators each having aplurality of brushes, one of said commutators being formed with aplurality of conductor rings and another of said commutators having asingle conducting segment, manipulative means for selectively connectingany of the plurality of brushes of said analyzing means to any of theplurality of brushes of first-named commutator to make a setting forsorting out records having certain indicia, a sorting mechanism, aplurality of circuits inter-connecting said sorting mechanism .and saidsecond-named commutator with said firstnamed commutator, and meansincluded in said plurality of circuits comprising a plurality ofselector relays, one of which is operated under control of one of theconductor rings on the firstnamed commutator in conjunction with theconnected brushes of the first-named commutator and another of which isoperated under conjoint control of said connected brushes and anotherplurality of brushes and the single conducting segment of thesecond-named commutator shall be rendered eflective to control thesortingmechanism to sort out records having indicia corresponding withthe setting of said'manipulative means.

3. In a sorting machine for sorting records having indicia thereon,analyzing means comprising a plurality of brushes for reading saidindicia, a multiple column selector device for sorting out recordshaving like indicia on certain portions thereof from other recordshaving unlike indicia or no indicia on said portions, said multipleselector comprising a plurality of commutators each having a pluralityof brushes, one of said commutators being formed with a plurality ofconductor rings and another of said commutators having a singleconducting seg ment, manipulative means for selectively connecting anyof the pluralityoof brushes of said analyzing means to any of theplurality of brushes of the first-named commutator to make a setting ofthe selector device according to the indicia appearing on the records tobe sorted out, a plurality oi circuits comprising a plurality ofselector relays, one of which is operated under control of one of theconductor rings on the first-named commutator in conjunction with theconnected brushes of the first-named commutator and another or which isoperated under conjoint control of said connected brushes and anotherconductor ring, and connections whereby the coaction of certain of theplurality of brushes and the single conducting segment of thesecondnamed commutator is rendered inefiective to control the sortingmechanism as long as records having like indicia are being readanalyzing means and effective when records having either unlike indiciaor no indicia are passing said analyzing means.

4. In combination with a sorting machine for sorting record cards andprovided with analyzing means for progressively reading designations inindex point positions on a card and sorting mechanism controlled by asorting magnet and driven by a drive shaft; a multi-column selectorincluding a commutator formed with a plurality of conducting rings anddriven by said vdrive shaft. a series of circumterentially disposedbrushes bearing on one of said plurality of rings, each brushcorresponding to a diflerent index point position on the card;manipulative means for selectively connecting said brushes to said 1analyzing means to set-up controlling index point positions on themultiple column selector, a conducting element on the other of saidrings for progressively wiping said series of brushes as the commutatorrotates, a selector relay controlled by the conjoint operation of theaforementioned series of brushes and conducting element, anotherselector relay controlled from said series oi brushes and said one ofsaid plurality of rings, a second commutator driven by said shaft havinga conducting segment thereon and a plurality of brushes bearing on saidsecond commutator and disposed in a row parallel to the axis 01'rotation of said commutator whereby said conducting segment momentarilycauses an electrical connection between said brushes upon each rotationof said commutator, circuits connecting one of said last-named brusheswith the sorting magnet, and circuits interconnecting said flrstnamedbrushes with each of the selector relays and the other of saidlast-named brushes to the selector relays whereby the operation of thesorting magnet is brought under the conjoint control of said selectorrelays, second-named commutator, and its associated last-named brushes.

IOYNO GI-IERTZMANN.

